Help with a Sick Cactus

15 years ago

I need some serious help with one of my favorite plants. I am by no means an expert on cactus health but I've had this cactus since I was in fifth grade (20 years!).

In the last few weeks, he has started to shrivel at the tips. I don't think I've done anything different with his care but I have to figure out how to help him.

Here is some more information that may be of help:

-When I bought him, he was a single "finger"

-He has occasionally flowered--it is a ring of very small yellow flowers circling the tip of each finger

-He lives on a windowsill that gets direct afternoon sun. Its generally a cooler room of the house (the kitchen).

-I water him ever few weeks in the summer and every month or two during the winter by putting him in the sink and dousing him with the sprayer.

-I've fertilized him in the past with compost from my worm bin, but not since last summer.

Does anyone have any ideas? Should I repot him? He hasn't been repotted for years but I held off for a more experienced opinion because I didn't want to stress him further.

Here are some pictures of him:

Here he was a year ago, completely healthy:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fruitychick/2363782385/

Here he is now:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fruitychick/3427652152/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fruitychick/3427652286/

Thanks for any help. I'm pretty desperate to save this cactus since I've had him for so long. If there isn't a way to save him, is there a chance I could propogate a piece of him?

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Comments (5)

pasimachus
15 years ago
The pictures are fuzzy so this is hard to tell, but your plant might be a Mammillaria elongata. You have obviously had this plant a long time because it has many stems. It also appears that your plant has had a chronic lack of light, at least in recent time.

The fuzz makes it hard to diagnose well, but if some of your stems are healthy you can cut off pieces, let them heal over, and root them independently.
moonshiner
15 years ago
When was the last time you re-potted it into new soil, and how do you fertilize it? It loks like it's screaming "FEED ME!" My opinion is to repot into some fresh cactus soil, dont water for a week at least, and then give it some fertilizer once a month at half the rate. Mammillaria do not require full sun, and will do well in partial shade.

I was thinking over watering during the winter. You can easily do that with these guys, although since you have had it for 20 tears I doubt that's the case.
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Judging from the pencil cactus form, it need much more light to be happy. The segments are spindly from all the shade. Can you describe the soil? It needs to be a fast draining mix. Lots of perlite, or grit. It loo;s really black, rich and bad for a Euphorbia. Once you decide on a soil, one cuts off the rotted roots and let the cutting callus or get hard on the end. a week is a good time. then you stick it in the soil, and mist it. Do not water it. Mist it. At this time of year, your plant is probably going into dormance and it will not root till spring. One can pile some rocks around it to hold it up, but , with that height and thinness of the stem, one miight have to devise a means of propping. I have never rooted anything in the cold north so maybe one should wait to see if others from north of the sunbelt/Mason Dixie line has some pointers. I am still in the 90's and we are headed into a growth cycle. I imagine that rot is harder to avoid in your situation. I would make the soil very gritty. Pine bark, perlite, cjicken grit or Cactus soil and at least equal parts chunky perlite. Not the fine dusty stuff the big box stores sell.
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I've seen a few cacti change the color of their skin but the skin doesn't become squishy. I'm not sure why they do that. I have a cactus with its whole lower half a darker shade. It looks like rot but the cactus has been like that for a few years, the lower part hasn't become mushy, and the upper part still looks healthy. I'm guessing the color change can be a sign of rot and other times isn't. I don't see the point along the stem the roots start on the cactus. Looks like the cactus might've been planted a little too deep in the soil. That can invite rot. Cacti can poke each other and leave spot scars but the brown spots in your pictures look different. I'm not concerned about the spots in the lower picture. They look like they aren't spreading. However, the spot in the lower left quadrant of the top picture has a trail of lighter skin running down to the lower area of the cactus. Is the lower part of the cactus unusually soft and moist? If not then I'd clear the soil away from the lower part until you find the point the roots start coming from the stem and put that point level with the top of the soil in the new pot. Then watch for changes of the spots and lower skin for the next few weeks. Or, if the lower part seems rotten you can cut it off by cutting above the rotten area in an area that looks healthy. Let the cutting callous for some time and then plant it in a pot. However, cactus cuttings can be tricky. Or, at least, for me they are. If you don't have experience with making cuttings and rooting them then research it.
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moonshiner
15 years ago
I feel I should clarify a little.

While they will do well in partial shade, I grow mine in a sunny spot outside where they get strong sunlight avoiding only the hottest midday sun. I almost never water during the winter, with just a taste to keep the roots from drying out completely. They do not need to be misted, just soak the soil once once a month from March -June, and then twice a month through September if it's particularly hot and dry. If yours is inside, once a month will be fine, and maybe stop all water after Labor Day except Thanksgiving and Super Bowl Sunday. Then start again once a month in March.

Good luck!
fruitychick
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the help everyone. I went to investigate the soil a little around the base of the plant and realized there is a bit of rot going on as well.

I think I'm going to do some surgery on him and try to get a few cuttings from the still healthy stalks and start myself a new plant.

I sure hope I can get at least a few cuttings to root--I've had the plant for so long I want to keep him in at least some version.
vilcat
15 years ago
This rarely happens with me as I am known for my neglect when it comes to watering, but this winter, I had a Dog Tail Cactus in my cool greenhouse and it got cold damp "feet" and the tips began to turn brown eventually traveling back towards the center of the plant. I took the plant inside the warmth of the house, cut away the rot, and placed the plant in good light just above the baseboard heat to warm, and dry out the soil a bit. It now it is doing well with new growth, and I am very happy that I caught it in time. I'm sure you will be able to save your beloved plant, but taking cuttings as insurance is a good idea. Hope all works out well.

Help with a Sick Cactus

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Help with a Sick Cactus

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